Phenol is an important chemical parent substance with a broad usage spectrum. For example, phenol is used to produce phenol resins, bisphenol A, caprolactam, adipic acid, alkyl phenols, and plasticizers.
In general, phenol is manufactured by oxidizing alkylbenzene(s) to form hydroperoxide(s) followed by cleavage of the hydroperoxide(s) with an inorganic acid to form a hydroperoxide cleavage product.
Methods of oxidation are needed which minimize the production of phenol during oxidation and which preferably also minimize the production of one or more byproducts selected from the group consisting of acetophenone (AP), dimethylbenzyl alcohol (DMBA), and ethyl methyl benzyl carbinol (EMBA).